They are usually served with(お)銚子( = (o)choushi)a cup for Sake &徳利( =tokkuri) sake bottle

Or 升 / ます= masu = small square wooden box

• 燗 ( =kan ) warmed sake

Ex. 燗をつける ( = kan wo tsukeru) to warm up sake

• 熱燗 ( = atsukan) warmed sake (hot)

Ex. 熱燗でお願いします。

=Atsukan de onegai shimasu.

= Please give me warmed up sake.

• 冷 ( = hiya) or 冷や酒( = hiya zake) chilled sake

• ぬる燗( = nurukan) lukewarm sake

Culture note: It is considered to be a bit rude if you don’t realize when the glass of someone who are drinking with is empty. It is customary to refill their glass when it gets empty. If you notice somebody is pouring for themselves, you should apologize and say,

「気がつかなくてごめんなさい。」

=”Ki ga tsukanakute gomennasai.

= “Sorry that I didn’t pay attention to you.

or

「手酌させてごめんなさい。」

= Tejaku sasete gomennasai.

= “Sorry that you I made you serve yourself..“

If nobody fills your emtpy glass, you say

「手酌で失礼します。」

=”Tejaku de shitsurei shimasu.

= Sorry that I served it myself.

We think serving your own sake dosn’t look so good unless you drink alone.

If someone pour alcohol into your own glass, it is considered polite to take at least a sip (even if you don’t really drink).

「それでは一口だけ（頂きます。）」

=”Soredewa hitokuchi dake (itadakimasu.)

= OK, then I will have just a sip.

If you really not not want to drink, you can say:

「すみません、お酒は飲めません。）」

=”Sumimasen, osake wa nomemasen.

= Sorry, I don’t drink.

If you answer this way, you may then be asked if you “don’t drink” or you “can’t drink“?

Culture Note: Some Japanese bars keep bottles of whisky or liquor in the shelves for the frequent customers. Once you pay for the whole bottle, they put your name tag on the bottle and from the next time you come to the bar, you just tell them your name and they will bring that bottle to the table and they don’t charge for the drink except ice or mineral water, etc.

<Other drinking related words >

• 飲み放題

= nomihoudai

= all you can drink

Ex. 食べ放題

=Tabehoudai

= all you can eat

• 一気飲み ( = ikki nomi) to drink up something in one shot.

「一気、一気！」

= Ikki, ikki!

= “Chug it! Chug it!”

Note : 一気飲み ( = ikki nomi) has been very popular especially among college students and 先輩 ( = senpai) senior students tend to force their 後輩 ( = kouhai) junior students to do to drink a whole mug of beer or sake at one gulp in their welcome party, and sometimes it causes 急性アルコール中毒（ = kyuusei arukooru chuudoku) acute alcoholic intoxication. Since some college students died due to 一気飲み ( = ikki nomi) many universities have banned it for safety reasons.

•無礼講 ( = bureikou) No formality, regardless of rank or seniority

「今日は無礼講なので楽しく飲みましょう。」

= Kyou wa bureikou nanode tanoshiku nomimashou!

= “Let’s have fun and drink casually (without being concerned about who is superior and inferior).”

• アルコール ( = arukooru) alcohol

• アルコール度数( = arukooru dosuu) percentage of alcohol

ウオッカはアルコール度が高い。

= Uokka wa arukooru do ga takai.

= Vodka is high in alcohol

•ロック ( = rokku) on the rocks

「ロックでお願いします。」

= Rokku de onegai shimasu.

= “On the rocks, please!”

• 水割り ( = mizuwari) with water

• おつまみ( = otsumami) snacks for drink, appetizer

• 酒の肴 ( = sake no sakana) a dish eaten with sake.

(Sometimes some juicy topics while you are drinking is also called 酒の肴 ( = sake no sakana) ）